I am a living immortal.

This swamp is rich in resources, but no one enters it unless absolutely necessary. And those who enter rarely leave safely - snakes, insects, wild beasts, miasma, and monsters are all daunting.

Su Mu didn't know that this swamp was perhaps better known by another name: the "Swamp of Despair." Firstly, only the desperate would enter it; no one would venture in even with a glimmer of hope. Secondly, the despair was truly profound; even if you were lucky enough to survive, you'd be driven mad or foolish. Someone had once emerged, but soon went mad. From that person's confused mumblings, people had gleaned a glimpse of the truth. Since then, fewer and fewer people have spoken of it; it's a taboo.

But this has little to do with Su Mu and the others.

They followed that path for several days before finally emerging from the swamp's confines, a testament to its vastness. Once outside, the desolation eased, and a few people could be spotted here and there. However, they all looked unhealthy, with dark skin and emaciated bones—the result of a prolonged lack of protein. In fact, let alone protein, they likely lacked even proper food.

Su Mu and the others stood out in this crowd, and the consequence of being so conspicuous was that they were surrounded by soldiers.

“Who are you!”

This soldier was much better than the wandering civilians, but it was limited—his body couldn't even support the armor he wore. His sunken cheeks and scrutinizing, wary eyes stared at Su Mu, as if he was going to tear her into pieces if she didn't give him a reasonable answer.

Every soldier who surrounded her had a different aura than in peacetime; they all had the aura of someone who had killed before. Looking at the surroundings, Su Mu knew without a second thought—war, and the battlefield was nearby. She just didn't know if these soldiers were the invading force or the invaded.

Even though they were pointed at by spears, they were not afraid.

"We were just passing by." Su Mu replied.

"Passing by? Passing from where? The Swamp of Despair?" Unexpectedly, after saying this, the soldiers frowned even deeper and stared at them back and forth.

"What a trouble." Mirage Dragon didn't like being stared at like that, and then he snapped his fingers, and several soldiers froze in place.

"Let's go. It seems we can't stay here for long." Several people left in a dignified manner.

Seeing this, the man who had just reported the news opened his eyes wide. How could these officers and soldiers fall asleep while talking? Could it be some kind of sorcery? He sat down on the ground and ran away in terror.

Clearly, he'd misunderstood. The mirage dragon wasn't some kind of sorcery; it was a legitimate magical technique. Otherwise, it wouldn't explain how they'd emerged from the swamp so cleanly. Since there was no explanation, there was no need to explain it.

Anyway, they just wanted to find a place to wait for Xuan Mo, just like they did in the Yu Dynasty. It was just that they were unlucky and accidentally walked into the battlefield.

Only after Su Mu left did the officers and soldiers finally snap out of their trance, their faces bewildered—what were they doing here? Then, slapping their heads, they remembered: they'd come to inquire about the situation. Those people were just passing through, nothing serious. They'd already left, and perhaps they were just too tired and had drifted off for a moment. That's right.

After rationalizing the situation in their minds, several soldiers couldn't help but complain: "Why haven't they paid their wages yet? They've been in arrears for a long time. If they don't pay us soon, we'll all be starving. What's the point of fighting? We might as well go home and farm."

"Shut up! Don't you want to live? How many people have died in ambushes recently? It's good enough that you are not used to fill the line. Even if you only have one meal a day, it is better than having no food. Food and wages? It's good enough that your head is not chopped off. Do you also want to go to the battlefield to rob like them?" another soldier whispered.

"It's said to be General Li. Somehow, his intelligence was leaked and he was ambushed. His life or death is still unknown."

"Alas, General Li, what a pity."

Because of this incident, the army's intelligence was directly delayed. Although the battle was ultimately won, it was only a pyrrhic victory, and subsequent plans were delayed. This breath was not rising, neither up nor down.

It was said that the general was furious and launched a thorough search for traitors throughout the army. Furthermore, the loss of the battle report directly caused the previous plan to be shelved, and the army was delayed. Every day of delay would cost them food and fodder. With pressure from above, it was estimated that they would have to bite the bullet and move forward in a few days. The arrow was on the string and had to be shot.

"Alas, I heard that if the prince hadn't wanted a share of the war credits, this wouldn't have happened. Now that it's turned out like this, I think even if it had nothing to do with this ambush, this wealth and glory has come to an end."

"Okay, stop talking. Let's inspect again to avoid any mistakes. At this critical moment, be careful with your heads."

After hearing the captain's words, the others fell silent. They were merely grumbling, and they only dared to speak in front of those who knew them well. Actually, it wouldn't matter if they told anyone else; no one would bother a soldier like you.

The food and fodder are still on their way, so we can only hold on for now. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that our victory is precarious, and we'll definitely face a series of problems like counterattacks. The days ahead will be difficult...

It was only upon arriving in the city that Su Mu discovered that not only had a war recently broken out, but it had also been a battle for the city's capital. The city was still thick with smoke, and most of the residents had their doors and windows tightly shut. Patrolling soldiers hurried back and forth, constantly patching up the city walls damaged by the previous battle, a scene of bustling activity.

"Are we going the wrong way?" asked Mirage Dragon as he looked at the surrounding environment.

"It seems so." Su Mu replied.

This place is on the front line. And from what the soldiers said, this city was only recently captured. So if they want to find a peaceful town, they'll probably have to go the other way.

The group turned back helplessly. However, on their way back, they encountered a group of soldiers. Su Mu took a look with surprise. The black flag clearly had the word "Li" written on it, exactly the same as the token they had received. It seemed the soldiers who had entered the swamp were from this faction.

They just wandered in by mistake and had no intention of participating.

Knowing the direction, the next step was easy. At their speed, they arrived at a city not far from the battlefield by evening—Qishan County. The name of this county. The fighting on the front had made this small town a crucial hub, and it was much more prosperous than before the war.

The carriages on display were loaded with bags of food and fodder destined for the front lines. Some were destined for the front lines, while others were brought in from the rear. There were only a few ways to collect food and fodder: allocating grain taxes from various regions, and purchasing from nearby merchants.